Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Lexus targets BMW X3 with new crossover

LEXUS is set to join the mid-size crossover fray when it launches the NX at the Beijing Motor Show later this month. The move could be a massive one for Lexus as it tests the water in what has become one of the fastest-growing and fiercest-fought market sectors of them all. This teaser shot is all that Lexus is willing to show of the new car before then, but the headlight shape is clearly inspired by the formidable LFA hypercar.

Mazda Verisa

Mazda has refreshed the Verisa, a B-segment car sold in Japan. Based on the same platform as the Ford Fiesta, the Verisa is a tall hatchback that parallels the (European) Ford Fusion in concept, if not aesthetics. The Down-Road-Graphic has a clean contemporary look, with minimal grille area and restrained use of brightwork, while surfaces are given greater volume and a more substantial feeling than the Fusion.

Volvo V40 Cross Country & V40 R-Design: Paris 2012

Volvo has revealed the V40 Cross Country and V40 R-Design at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, and both are convincing. The sporty take on the new V40 is the V40 R-design, a cosmetic update for the already good-looking V40 that manages to bolt on go-faster bits without wrecking the good lines of the normal V40. We would like to have seen the Volvo V40 R-Design get the sports suspension as standard, but Volvo obviously feel that most R-Design buyers want the looks rather than the more dynamic ride the sports suspension offers, so it stays as an option. And as the R-Design option is available across the new V40 range – from the D2 to the T4 – it’s probably the right decision.